Carport system for charging electric or hybrid vehicles using electricity generated and stored from solar energy, and container for a carport system

Abstract

Carport system (0) for charging electric or hybrid vehicles (1) using electricity generated and stored from solar energy, comprising: - a carport (2) for parking electric or hybrid vehicles (1) with at least one solar module (23) for generating electricity; - at least one battery cell arrangement (3) configured to store electrical current generated by the solar module (23) and to provide the stored electrical current for charging electric or hybrid vehicles (1); and - at least one container (4) comprising a wall (41) and a door element (40) configured to enclose and thermally insulate a container interior (42), wherein the container (4) is configured to fully accommodate the at least one battery cell arrangement (3) within the container interior (42), wherein the wall (41) and / or the door element (40) of the container (4) comprises at least one vacuum insulation element (5), wherein the at least one vacuum insulation element (5) is a vacuum insulation panel, wherein the at least one vacuum insulation element (5) comprises a gas-tight shell (51) that fully encloses a filling chamber (52), and wherein the filling chamber (52) is filled with a gas (54), and wherein an insulating material (53) and a sorption pump (55) are arranged in the filling chamber (52), and wherein the sorption pump (55) is configured to extract the gas (54) to adsorb with a getter material,and wherein the sorption pump (55) comprises an electric heating element (56) to desorb the gas (54) by thermally heating the getter material.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a carport system for charging electric or hybrid vehicles using electricity generated and stored from solar energy and a container for a carport system according to the respective independent claim.

[0002] For charging electric or hybrid vehicles, providing carports with charging facilities has proven effective. Vehicles can be charged electrically while parked at such carports. Generating the electricity for charging the vehicles from solar panels, conveniently mounted on the carport roof, has proven to be ecologically advantageous, thus creating what is commonly known as a carport solar system.

[0003] Since the generation of electricity by the solar panel is dependent on highly variable solar irradiance, carport systems are typically combined with battery cell arrays. These battery cell arrays store electricity in the event of excess solar power production and provide additional stored electricity for charging vehicles when needed.

[0004] One problem with such systems is that the optimal operation of the battery cells in the battery cell array is dependent on an optimal operating temperature. Since these battery cell arrays are installed outdoors along with the carport, daily and seasonal fluctuations in outside temperature lead to energy-inefficient operation of the battery cell array. This also means that the electricity generated by solar energy cannot be optimally used for charging vehicles via the carport system.

[0005] Reference is also made to the state of the art in the form of DE 10 2017 118 706 A1, US 5 625 742 A and EP 2 727 153 B1.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and in particular to provide a carport system for charging electric or hybrid vehicles using electricity generated and stored from solar energy and a container for a carport system which uses and / or stores and / or provides the energy obtained from solar energy more efficiently for charging electric or hybrid vehicles.

[0007] This problem is solved by the subject matter of the invention according to the respective independent claim. Advantageous embodiments form the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0008] The invention comprises a carport system for charging electric or hybrid vehicles using electricity generated and stored from solar energy, comprising: - a carport for parking electric or hybrid vehicles with at least one solar panel for generating electricity; - at least one battery cell arrangement designed to store electrical current generated by the solar module and to provide the stored electrical current for charging electric or hybrid vehicles; and - at least one container comprising a wall and a door element, which are designed to enclose and thermally insulate a container interior, and wherein the container is designed to fully accommodate the at least one battery cell arrangement within the container interior.

[0009] Because the battery cell assembly is completely enclosed within the container interior and the container interior is thermally insulated, the battery cell assembly can be kept at an optimal operating temperature in an energy-efficient manner.

[0010] At least one battery cell arrangement can be connected to the carport via power cables in such a way as to absorb the electrical current generated by the solar module and / or to provide it for charging electric or hybrid vehicles.

[0011] The battery cell arrangement can be designed to store electrical energy in a range between 5 kWh and 20 kWh.

[0012] At least one of the containers can be of a size to create a container interior with a volume in the range between 0.05 m³ 3 and 2 m 3 to demonstrate, in order to fully accommodate at least one battery cell arrangement within the container interior.

[0013] According to the invention, the wall and / or the door element of the container comprises at least one vacuum insulation element.

[0014] According to the invention, the at least one vacuum insulation element comprises a gas-tight shell that completely encloses a filling chamber. The filling chamber is filled with a gas. An insulating material and a sorption pump are arranged in the filling chamber, the sorption pump being configured to adsorb the gas with a getter material. The sorption pump includes an electric heating element to desorb the gas by thermally heating the getter material.

[0015] The wall and / or door element of the container can be designed to have at least one vacuum insulation element arranged between an inner container wall and an outer container wall.

[0016] According to a further preferred aspect, at least one vacuum insulation element is a vacuum insulation panel. The vacuum insulation element is designed to have a thermal conductivity coefficient λ in a range between 1 mW / mK and 200 mW / mK, particularly in a range between 10 mW / mK and 100 mW / mK.

[0017] The vacuum insulation panel has a thickness in a range between 1 cm and 10 cm.

[0018] The gas-tight envelope can comprise a metallized plastic film. The insulation material can be a facade insulation material, such as fiberglass or mineral fiber, or an open-pore material, such as pyrogenic silica. The sorption pump uses a metal hydride as a getter material, for example, based on Zr, Ti, Al, V, or Fe, to adsorb the gas.

[0019] The electric heating element is designed to heat the getter material of the sorption pump to a temperature in a range between 300°C and 500°C.

[0020] According to one advantageous aspect, the sorption pump is designed to increase the pressure in the filling chamber within a range of 1×10 by means of adsorption and desorption of the gas. -2 mbar and 1×10 2 mbar, especially in a range between 5×10 -2 mbar and 5×10 1 mbar, to adjust.

[0021] In this way, the thermal conductivity coefficient λ of the vacuum insulation element can be adjusted by changing the pressure in the filling chamber. Specifically, the thermal conductivity coefficient λ of the vacuum insulation element can be adjusted by a factor within a range of 40 to 50 by adjusting the pressure in the filling chamber.

[0022] From an advantageous perspective, the gas includes H2 gas and / or N2 gas and / or O2 gas and / or CO2 gas and / or CO gas.

[0023] The composition of the gas can be chosen in such a way that the getter material of the sorption pump adsorbs the gas particularly efficiently and / or allows a particularly large number of adsorption and desorption cycles of the getter material (heat cycles).

[0024] According to a further advantageous aspect, the sorption pump is designed to reversibly change the thermal conductivity coefficient λ of the vacuum insulation element in a range between 1 mW / mK and 200 mW / mK, and preferably in a range between 10 mW / mK and 100 mW / mK, by reversibly adsorbing and desorbing the gas.

[0025] Heating the sorption pump causes the gas to desorb from the getter material, consequently increasing the pressure in the filling chamber and raising the thermal conductivity coefficient λ of the vacuum insulation element. Conversely, without heating the sorption pump, the gas is adsorbed by the getter material, resulting in a decrease in the pressure in the filling chamber and a decrease in the thermal conductivity coefficient λ of the vacuum insulation element. This process is reversible by repeated heating and unheating.

[0026] According to one particularly advantageous aspect, the carport system includes a control unit which is designed to automatically control the electric heating element of the sorption pump of at least one vacuum insulation element.

[0027] The control unit regulates the heating element to control the temperature-controlled adsorption or desorption of the gas, which in turn causes the thermal conductivity coefficient λ of the vacuum insulation element to decrease or increase. The control unit can be connected to temperature sensors to measure the container's external temperature.

[0028] The invention further comprises a container for a carport system, comprising a wall and a door element, which are configured to enclose and thermally insulate a container interior. The container is configured to completely house a battery cell arrangement within its interior. The container wall comprises at least one vacuum insulation element, wherein the at least one vacuum insulation element is a vacuum insulation panel configured to have a thermal conductivity coefficient λ in the range between 1 mW / mK and 200 mW / mK, particularly in the range between 10 mW / mK and 100 mW / mK. The at least one vacuum insulation element comprises a gas-tight shell that completely encloses a filling chamber. The filling chamber is filled with a gas, and an insulating material and a sorption pump are arranged within the filling chamber.The sorption pump is designed to adsorb the gas with a getter material. The sorption pump includes an electric heating element to desorb the gas by thermally heating the getter material.

[0029] The container can be a container for a carport system as described above. The container can be of a size to accommodate an interior space with a volume in the range of 0.05 m³. 3 and 2 m 3The container wall and / or door element can be designed to incorporate at least one vacuum insulation element between an inner and an outer container wall. The vacuum insulation panel preferably has a thickness between 1 cm and 10 cm. The gas-tight envelope can comprise a metallized plastic film. The insulation material can be a facade insulation material, such as fiberglass or mineral fiber, or an open-pore material, such as pyrogenic silica. The sorption pump comprises a metal hydride, for example, based on Zr, Ti, Al, V, or Fe, as the getter material to adsorb the gas. The electric heating element is designed to heat the getter material of the sorption pump to a temperature between 300°C and 500°C.

[0030] According to a preferred aspect, the sorption pump is designed to increase the pressure in the filling chamber by adsorption and desorption of the gas within a range of 1×10 -2 mbar and 1×10 2 mbar, especially in a range between 5×10 -2 mbar and 5×10 1 The pressure is set to mbar. The gas comprises H2 gas and / or N2 gas and / or O2 gas and / or CO2 gas and / or CO gas. The sorption pump is designed to reversibly change the thermal conductivity coefficient λ of the vacuum insulation element in a range between 1 mW / mK and 200 mW / mK, and preferably in a range between 10 mW / mK and 100 mW / mK, by reversibly adsorbing and desorbing the gas.

[0031] In this way, the thermal conductivity coefficient λ of the vacuum insulation element can be adjusted by changing the pressure in the filling chamber. Specifically, the thermal conductivity coefficient λ of the vacuum insulation element can be adjusted by a factor between 40 and 50 by changing the pressure in the filling chamber. The gas composition can be selected such that the getter material of the sorption pump adsorbs the gas particularly efficiently and / or allows for a particularly high number of adsorption and desorption cycles of the getter material (heating cycles). Heating the sorption pump causes the gas to be desorbed from the getter material, which in turn increases the pressure in the filling chamber and thus the thermal conductivity coefficient λ of the vacuum insulation element.Conversely, without heating the sorption pump, the gas is adsorbed by the getter material, resulting in a decrease in the pressure in the filling chamber and a reduction in the thermal conductivity coefficient λ of the vacuum insulation element. This process is reversible by repeated heating and unheating cycles.

[0032] According to another preferred aspect, the container includes a control unit designed to automatically control the electrical heating element of the sorption pump of at least one vacuum insulation element.

[0033] The control unit regulates the heating element to control the temperature-controlled adsorption or desorption of the gas, which in turn causes the thermal conductivity coefficient λ of the vacuum insulation element to decrease or increase. The control unit can be connected to temperature sensors to measure the container's external temperature.

[0034] One particularly desirable feature is the arrangement of strips on the underside of the container. These strips are designed to allow forearms to grip them.

[0035] The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to drawings.

[0036] They show: Fig. 1 Schematic diagram of a carport system for charging electric or hybrid vehicles using electricity generated and stored from solar energy; Fig. 2 Schematic diagram of a vacuum insulation element; and Fig. 3 Schematic diagram of a container for a carport system.

[0037] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a carport system 0 for charging electric or hybrid vehicles 1 using electricity generated and stored from solar energy.

[0038] The carport system 0 comprises a carport 2 for parking electric or hybrid vehicles 1 with a solar module 23 for generating electricity. The carport 2 consists of a support structure and a roof, with the solar module 23 mounted on the roof.

[0039] Furthermore, the carport system 0 includes a battery cell arrangement 3. The battery cell arrangement 3 is designed to store electrical current generated by the solar module 23 and to provide the stored electrical current for charging electric or hybrid vehicles 1. The electrical current is transmitted via power cables. The battery cell arrangement 3 is designed to store electrical energy in a range between 5 kWh and 20 kWh.

[0040] Furthermore, the carport system 0 comprises a container 4, including a wall 41 and a door element 40. The wall 41 and the door element 40 are designed to enclose and thermally insulate a container interior 42. The wall 41 and the door element 40 of the container 4 include vacuum insulation elements 5, each arranged between an inner container wall and an outer container wall.

[0041] The vacuum insulation elements 5 are each designed as a vacuum insulation panel and exhibit a thermal conductivity coefficient λ in a range between 10 mW / mK and 100 mW / mK. The thermal conductivity coefficient λ is reversibly changeable.

[0042] Container 4 has a size and shape to accommodate a container interior of 42 with a volume in the range between 0.05 m³ 3 and 2 m 3to accommodate the battery cell assembly 3 completely within the container interior 42. Because the battery cell assembly 3 is completely enclosed within the container interior 42 and the container interior 42 is thermally insulated, the battery cell assembly 3 can be kept at its optimal operating temperature in an energy-efficient manner.

[0043] Three strips 7 are arranged on the underside of container 4, designed for the engagement of forklift tines. This allows container 4 to be easily moved using a forklift.

[0044] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a vacuum insulation element 5.

[0045] The vacuum insulation element 5 comprises a gas-tight shell 51 that completely encloses a filling chamber 52. The gas-tight shell 51 is designed as a metallized plastic film. The filling chamber 52 is filled with a gas 54.

[0046] The gas used is H₂ gas. However, N₂ gas and / or O₂ gas and / or CO₂ gas and / or CO gas can also be used. The choice of gas composition depends on the type of getter material and influences the gas adsorption efficiency and the possible number of adsorption and desorption cycles of the getter material (heating cycles).

[0047] In the filling chamber 52, an insulating material 53 is arranged. In the example shown, the insulating material 53 is glass fiber. Furthermore, a sorption pump 55 is arranged in the filling chamber 52, wherein the sorption pump 55 comprises a metal hydride, for example based on Zr, Ti, Al, V, or Fe, as the getter material to adsorb the gas 54. The sorption pump 55 also includes an electric heating element 56 to desorb the gas 54 by thermally heating the getter material. The electric heating element 56 is designed to heat the getter material of the sorption pump 55 to a temperature in the range between 300°C and 500°C.

[0048] Through adsorption and desorption of the gas 54 by the sorption pump 55, the pressure in the filling chamber 52 is in a range between 1×10 -2 mbar and 1×10 2The pressure in the sorption pump 55 is set to mbar. Heating the sorption pump 55 causes the gas 54 to desorb from the getter material, thereby increasing the pressure in the filling chamber 52. Conversely, without heating the sorption pump 55, the gas 54 is adsorbed by the getter material, resulting in a decrease in the pressure in the filling chamber 52. In this way, the thermal conductivity coefficient λ of the vacuum insulation element 5 can be adjusted within a range of 1 mW / mK to 200 mW / mK by adjusting the pressure in the filling chamber 52. This process can be reversed by repeatedly heating (heating cycles) the getter material.

[0049] Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of a container 4 for a carport system 0. Fig. 1. The container shown corresponds to the one in Fig. 1 described container 4.

Claims

[1] Carport system (0) for charging electric or hybrid vehicles (1) using electricity generated and stored from solar energy, comprising: - a carport (2) for parking electric or hybrid vehicles (1) with at least one solar module (23) for generating electricity; - at least one battery cell arrangement (3) configured to store electrical current generated by the solar module (23) and to provide the stored electrical current for charging electric or hybrid vehicles (1); and - at least one container (4) comprising a wall (41) and a door element (40) configured to enclose and thermally insulate a container interior (42), wherein the container (4) is configured to fully accommodate the at least one battery cell arrangement (3) within the container interior (42), wherein the wall (41) and / or the door element (40) of the container (4) comprises at least one vacuum insulation element (5), wherein the at least one vacuum insulation element (5) is a vacuum insulation panel, wherein the at least one vacuum insulation element (5) comprises a gas-tight shell (51) that fully encloses a filling chamber (52), and wherein the filling chamber (52) is filled with a gas (54), and wherein an insulating material (53) and a sorption pump (55) are arranged in the filling chamber (52), and wherein the sorption pump (55) is configured to extract the gas (54) to adsorb with a getter material,and wherein the sorption pump (55) comprises an electric heating element (56) to desorb the gas (54) by thermally heating the getter material. [2] Carport system (0) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one vacuum insulation element (5) is a vacuum insulation panel designed to have a thermal conductivity coefficient λ in a range between 1 mW / mK and 200 mW / mK, in particular in a range between 10 mW / mK and 100 mW / mK. [3] Carport system (0) according to claim 1, wherein the sorption pump (55) is designed to increase the pressure in the filling chamber (52) by adsorption and desorption of the gas (54) in a range between 1×10 -2 mbar and 1×10 2 mbar, especially in a range between 5×10 -2 mbar and 5×10 1 mbar, to adjust. [4] Carport system (0) according to one of claims 1 or 3, wherein the gas (54) comprises H2 gas and / or N2 gas and / or O2 gas and / or CO2 gas and / or CO gas. [5] Carport system (0) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sorption pump (55) is designed to reversibly change the thermal conductivity coefficient λ of the vacuum insulation element (5) in a range between 1 mW / mK and 200 mW / mK, and preferably in a range between 10 mW / mK and 100 mW / mK, by reversibly adsorbing and desorbing the gas (54). [6] Carport system (0) according to one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a control unit which is designed to automatically control the electrical heating element (56) of the sorption pump (55) of the at least one vacuum insulation element (5). [7] Container (4) for a carport system (0), comprising a wall (41) and a door element (40) configured to enclose and thermally insulate a container interior (42), wherein the container (4) is configured to fully accommodate a battery cell arrangement (3) within the container interior (42), wherein the wall (41) of the container (4) comprises at least one vacuum insulation element (5), wherein the at least one vacuum insulation element (5) is a vacuum insulation panel configured to have a thermal conductivity coefficient λ in a range between 1 mW / mK and 200 mW / mK, in particular in a range between 10 mW / mK and 100 mW / mK, and wherein the at least one vacuum insulation element (5) comprises a gas-tight shell (51) that fully encloses a filling chamber (52), and wherein the filling chamber (52) is filled with a gas (54),and wherein a insulating material (53) and a sorption pump (55) are arranged in the filling chamber (52), and wherein the sorption pump (55) is configured to adsorb the gas (54) with a getter material, and wherein the sorption pump (55) comprises an electric heating element (56) to desorb the gas (54) by thermally heating the getter material. [8] Container (4) according to claim 7, wherein the sorption pump (55) is configured to increase the pressure in the filling chamber (52) by adsorption and desorption of the gas (54) in a range between 1×10 -2 mbar and 1×10 2 mbar, especially in a range between 5×10 -2 mbar and 5×10 1mbar, to adjust, and wherein the gas (54) comprises H2 gas and / or N2 gas and / or O2 gas and / or CO2 gas and / or CO gas, and wherein the sorption pump (55) is configured to reversibly change the thermal conductivity coefficient λ of the vacuum insulation element (5) in a range between 1 mW / mK and 200 mW / mK, and preferably in a range between 10 mW / mK and 100 mW / mK, by reversibly adsorbing and desorbing the gas (54). [9] Container (4) according to claim 8, comprising a control unit which is designed to automatically control the electrical heating element (56) of the sorption pump (55) of the at least one vacuum insulation element (5). [10] Container (4) according to one of claims 7 to 9, wherein strips (7) are arranged on an underside of the container (4), wherein the strips (7) are designed for the engagement of forklift tines.

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